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A Guide on Successful Product Creation and Internet Marketing

Product creation in Internet marketing is getting stiffer and stiffer nowadays owing to tough competition between Internet-based businesses. Putting up a new product requires plenty of brainpower and finances along with an ability to take risk. With that, even if you have the product well-set already, you have to position it strategically in the Internet landscape for others to notice. You should get the interest of Web users and turn them to actual customers. Aside from the usual physical products, many different products that thrive well on Internet marketing include E-books, membership sites, and video lectures.

The long and difficult process of product creation begins with ideas. They are easy to get – compared to the effort that comes with analyzing the market for that idea. Before the idea turns to a product, businesses often spend money, even amounting to millions of dollars, to ensure the success of the new product that emerges from an idea. Businesses undertake many types of market research and surveys before releasing their products to the public. Now, you may think that because your business is small, you can’t afford research or you don’t have to do research; you can and you should. The Internet allows you to disseminate materials needed for your market study to many people at once without your having to spend a cent.

It is a common maxim in business: Look at your destination first before mapping out your journey. So what are the goals you intend to accomplish with your product creation ventures? The everyday travails of your business may make you forget the end in sight. On the other hand, prepare to entertain new developments that come to your mind in your product creation. Your conception of a product may have started this way, but a few tweaks here and there along with some market research results and it ends up another way. Take it as the result of a creative process, not as a failure to reach your goal. After all, your product creation activities are intertwined with a long-term goal that you should strive to sustain at your utmost: profit generation. So if your less profitable initial idea evolves to a more profitable product, be thankful!

With your product made up already, start doing some aggressive Internet marketing. A product purchase typically comes after more than five times a customer is exposed to an informative call-to-buy message. Thus it is important to get the contact details, like the e-mail address, of potential customers who are on the brink of a sale. Use the results of your market research to determine the demographics to which you should concentrate your marketing efforts.

With consistent product creation, you can make an inventory of your products that you can market in due time. Just keep making products – the moment you succeed in making and marketing a product, customers are surely wanting more from you, so give it to them. Keep them on your side through constant product creation.

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5 Things to Do This New Year to Benefit Your Child in Special Education!

Are you the parent of a child receiving special education services due to autism or a learning disability? Are you looking for a few things that you can do, this new year, to benefit your child’s education? This article is for you! I will be discussing 5 things that you as a parent can do to help your child’s education in this new year!

Item 1: Check all of your child’s past standardized testing, to see if they are on grade level. As an advocate I have helped children that have been several grade levels below their peers, and the parents did not realize this. Catching a child that is having academic difficulty early, and finding out what type of related and special education services they need, will help them keep up with their grade appropriate peers.

Item 2: If you have never looked at your child’s educational record contact your district office (call and make sure that this is where the records are kept), and tell them that you would like to see your child’s school records. IDEA 2004 and FERPA give parents the right to look at their child’s school record, though schools do have up to 45 days for this. FERPA defines a school record as anything that is personally identifiable to a certain child. For example; E mails, letters, testing protocols, discipline records, (could also apply to audio and video recording, but may differ from state to state) etc.

Why is this important? This is important because some very strange items can be kept in a child’s school record, and these items can in the future be used against a child. For example: A medical record that you had not seen, a discipline record etc. FERPA does not necessarily allow for copying the records, but state law may give parents the right to do this, so check with your States Department of Education.

Item 3: If you have not had a chance to observe your child at school in their current placement, tell your child’s teacher that you will be coming in to observe your child. Observe your child and the teacher’s relationship? Is your child in a corner by themselves, or are they sitting with other students? Is there a child that is acting in a disruptive manner, preventing the other children from learning? Also talk to your child’s teacher, about any difficulties your child is having, and any suggestions on how to improve the situation.

Item 4: Get involved with the federal core educational standards movement! Each state has in the past, had their own core educational standards. Some states have had high standards, and some states like my own, have had low standards. For some time, there has been a movement to develop federal core educational standards that apply to all states. Federal Core standards have been developed and can be seen at: http://www.corestandards.org. At the moment these standards are voluntary, but states that adopt the standards can try and get additional funding for their states educational system.

Why are federal core standards important? They are important because they are considered very high standards, and these standards are meant to apply to all children, including children with disabilities. Fight for these standards for your child, to make sure that they are learning grade appropriate tasks, to prepare them for their adult life.

Item 5: Become familiar with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and file a State complaint for violations of this law! The complaint is filed with your States Department of Education and can help enforce the law, though may not always be successful! It has been my contention for many years, that if parents of children receiving special education services, filed more complaints the situation for children would be better than it is now!

By taking the time to work on these 5 things you are showing a commitment to advocate for your child and improve their education. Good luck!

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Is a Home Based Business Right For You? 6 Pros and Cons to Consider

Given today’s frightening and faltering economy, more and more people are losing their jobs. In addition to this a lot of people are fearful that they might lose their job. Given these uncertain times, more people than ever are reportedly considering firing their boss and becoming their own. This is a very big decision, and one that most people simply cannot afford to take lightly. Especially given that most new businesses fail within their first five years. There seem to be as many obstacles as there are rewards, and it takes a tremendous amount of commitment if one is to make a go of owning their own business.Due to the costs of owning a traditional, brick and mortar business this article will only address some things to consider when looking at home-based business opportunities. With a home-based business, one doesn’t have the conventional start-up costs of purchasing, leasing or renting commercial space; no insurance; no inventory, etc. You can literally walk down the hall from your bedroom to your office and begin being productive.I believe that the essential elements of a truly viable home-based business are these: finding one that fits with your values; has a proven track record; has a top-tier product line with generous compensation; and has a top-rated, all-inclusive system in place that you can follow – hopefully with training, support and a community of other like-minded entrepreneurs with whom you can mastermind and network.Some key considerations include:Pros:· No Commute or Office Politics
· Time and Money Freedom; Autonomy and Independence
· Break Out of the Wage System and Into the Profit System
· Opportunities are Limited Only by You
· You Gain the Tax Advantages of Being an Owner vs. Employee
· Learning and Applying New Skills and Increasing Your Value to OthersCons:· Some Investment Capital or Start-up Costs are required
· There are Real Risks Involved
· The Responsibility Rests With You
· Greater Exposure and Need for Asset Protection
· You Must be Disciplined, Motivated and a Self-starter
· Can Be Isolating Without a CommunityIt is extremely important to do your due diligence when evaluating the various opportunities available to you. Unfortunately, I have heard the stories of several conscientious individuals who got involved with something that either wasn’t legitimate, or didn’t offer any real training or support. For most of us who entered into the home-based business arena as a “newbie,” having a personal mentor or being part of a supportive network was a very important component of our success.There are other, more personal pros and cons you’ll no doubt want to seriously think about when trying to determine whether or not some type of home-based business opportunity might be right for you. Is this the right time? Can we afford to do it? Can we afford not to do it? Hopefully, the list stated above will be helpful to you in your process, and may raise other important questions for you to explore.Owning a home-based business is not for everyone. Yet, for many it is ideal. I have heard people refer to the experience of having their own home-based business in these ways: “Finding this opportunity was an answer to prayer;” “The one thing in my life I’ve done right;” and “Even though it was scary and took longer than I thought it would to make money, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”Is a home-based business right for you? Only you can make that determination for yourself and your family. I do encourage you to consider the possibility. Who knows, it could be the best decision you’ll ever make.